


Shadows in the Corners

by Tundra0Dragon



Category: Pikmin (Video Game)
Genre: Comfort, Gen, Short n sweet, originally posted to Amino
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-27
Updated: 2019-10-27
Packaged: 2021-01-04 19:57:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21203213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tundra0Dragon/pseuds/Tundra0Dragon
Summary: Alph has a nightmare, so he calls up Charlie.





	Shadows in the Corners

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally posted to Pikmin Amino a while ago (account name there was the same). I still like how this came out though, so I wanted to post it else where. Also gives me a chance to figure out AO3 before I start work on my other. bigger, story.
> 
> Also sorry for any misspellings. My spelling skills aren't the best and pikmin words in particular are really weird.
> 
> Anyways enjoy the comfort cookie.

Alph woke up in a cold sweat. He clung to his cover as he laid there, almost perfectly still save for his trembling. One moment. Two moments. Three. Four. He calmed down a bit and was able to at least roll onto his back, but he still shivered.

_God, that dream again... Why is it always that dream? Why?_

Something flashed in the conner of his eyes - a bulborb? He sat up in a jolt, looking for it. There was no bulborb - there couldn't be a bulborb. He was safe at home, in his apartment, on Koppai.

_There are no pikmin here. There are no bulborbs here. There is no Plasm Wraith here._

He closed his eyes and leaned back on his bed frame, repeating the words to himself over and over, first mentally and then under his breath.

But it didn't help.

The darkened corners of his room were too suspicious, his room too warm, the night outside so strange and alien after so long on PNF-404.

"I need water..." he told himself. But he did not move from his bed.

Five moments. Six moments. Seven. Eight. He wasn't sure how long he had been just sitting there, useless and scared.

_It's a dream, it was just a dream, it was..._

He stared at his end table by his bed, stared at the inky black object on it.

He instinctively grabbed his phone. Waking it up greeted him with a harsh white light that was still too much even when he turned the brightness down to zero percent. Blinded and still shaking, he stumbled through menus until a single contact displayed itself.

Charlie O'Kneel. A fuzzy profile picture, and a single phone number. No birth date, no email, nothing else.

He stared at the contact for a bit before hitting call.

It rang once. Twice. In a rushed panic he considered hanging up, but then Charlie had picked up.

"... Yeah?" a tired and agitated voice came through.

"U-Uh... Charlie?" he froze again as he heard his voice choke, he hadn't realized he was crying.

"Alph? Alph are you okay, what's wrong?" he could hear shuffling on the other end as Charlie's voice perked up with worry.

"I-I... Uh... It was... It was just a nightmare, I shouldn't - shouldn't of both-"

"No no no, it's fine. Really, it is." Charlie sighed. More shuffling. "What... Was is about?"

Alph shook his head until he realized Charlie couldn't see him. "I... I'd rather not... S-share..."

"That's fine, that's fine. I... Understand." a yawn. "Sorry... Uh, here's what I do, mkay?"

Alph's eyes widened a bit, as if from shock, but he didn't have time to process it before the captain went on again.

"Take a look around your room. Name all the objects you have. State their use. Even small things like blankets, name and explain everything."

Alph leaned back and tried. Blanket - stay warm. Wardrobe - store cloths. Computer - play games. Picture - decorate.

It wasn't really helping.

When he told this to Charlie the man sighed. "Mkay, mkay... It's fine. Do... Do you have anything on hand that's comforting? A movie, an item, anything?"

Alph froze a bit. "... Y-yeah, but..."

"But? You don't need to worry, I promise. If you find it comforting, and if it doesn't hurt you or anyone else it's fine. It's okay, I promise."

Alph sat there for a moment before laying down. "T-that song? The one you and Olimar sang on the S.S. Drake that night? Can... Can you sing it again?"

Silence. Alph curled up into a ball of anxiety, then the other man replied "Sure Alph, I can do that for you."

Soon a song in a language Alph couldn't understand - an old Hocotation language, based on what Olimar had said - started from the phone. Alph closed his eyes and hugged a pillow as the deep voice cascaded over the room.

He wouldn't call Charlie a good singer, but it wasn't like he was bad either. But the deep and familiar voice was still so soothing to hear.

Eventually, the song came to an end. "Is... Is that all?"

No response.

"... You asleep at last, Alph?"

Silence.

"Good night, Alph... I'll check on you in the morning."

Charlie hung up, and the phone let off one last beep to confirm the call had ended. And then, the room was finally at peace as the bulborbs left for the night.


End file.
